2019 Draft Needs: Washington Redskins

The biggest need, the hidden need and what else Washington should be looking for in the 2019 draft.

Andy Benoit and Gary Gramling are breaking down draft needs for all 32 teams. You can also see every team in a single post here.

Biggest Need: Quarterback
You hope Alex Smith can play again, but you can’t count on it. And with Case Keenum being a bridge guy, we’ll take this opportunity to once again shout from the mountain tops that WASHINGTON SHOULD TRADE FOR JOSH ROSEN—even if it means giving up their No. 15 overall pick. Besides being a perfect stylistic fit for Jay Gruden’s system, Rosen coming out of UCLA was, on many boards, a higher-rated prospect than any of this year’s QBs. If he were coming out now, the debate would be whether to take him or Kyler Murray; there’s no way would Rosen slip to 15th in this draft. So not only are we talking about a quality QB prospect, but one who is, again, PERFECT FOR JAY GRUDEN’S OFFENSE!

Hidden Need: Cornerback
Quinton Dunbar is a physical, underrated No. 2 stopper outside, and Fabian Moreau is serviceable outside or in the slot. The question is at the No. 1 corner spot. Josh Norman has been good but not great since arriving in 2016, and next year Washington can save $12.5 million in cap space by cutting him. They have been a predominantly zone-based D over the years, but they mix in plenty of man coverage; plus, many of their zones demand man-to-man principles from corners outside. They need talented cover guys who can match up.

Also Looking For: Left Guard 
Just in case Ereck Flowers doesn’t work out. (This, by the way, is meant to be only about half as snarky as it appears—if any O-line coach can salvage Flowers, it’s Washington’s Bill Callahan.)

Who They Can Get
If Rosen doesn’t become available—or if Washington doesn’t win the bidding—it’s conceivable Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins or Missouri’s Drew Lock would make it to 15. Duke’s Daniel Jones is very likely to be here, and he seems like the kind of high-floor, low-ceiling prospect an organization that went out of their way to acquire the ultra-conservative Alex Smith a year ago would covet. If they go corner, LSU’s Greedy Williams is a possibility, though Georgia’s Deandre Baker seems like an ideal fit for Greg Manusky. 

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